Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automatic hook setting devices and more particularly, to a hook setting device for automatically setting the hook in a fish and preventing the escape of the fish in the absence of a fisherman. The hook setting device of this invention is characterized in a preferred embodiment by a bifurcated frame, one end of which is suspended from a tree or other fixed support above a water body and the opposite or bottom end fitted with a slot and a ball seat. A lever is pivotally secured to the frame in the frame bifurcation or slot near the top of the frame and an elastic band is stretched between one end of the lever and the slot located in the bottom end of the frame. The opposite end of the lever receives one end of a trigger cord, line or leader and the opposite end of the trigger cord is fitted with a fishhook for receiving bait and immersing in the water body. A ball or bead is secured to the trigger cord in spaced relationship with respect to the trigger end of the lever, such that the ball may be seated in the ball seat against the bias of the elastic band when the trigger end of the lever is pivoted downwardly, to locate the fishhook and bait in the water body pursuant to "cocking" of the hook setting device. Tension applied to the trigger cord responsive to taking of the bait by a fish unseats the ball from the ball seat and sets the hook in the fish responsive to abrupt upward movement of the trigger end of the lever by contraction of the elastic band. The fish is automatically "played" from the trigger end of the lever against the bias of the elastic band as it tensions the trigger cord.
A popular technique for taking game fish such as white perch or crappie and other game fish is by using automatic fishing devices such as the popular "Whites Auto Fisher", or "yoyo", and similar devices. The use of such automatic fishing devices facilitates high efficiency in catching fish in the absence of the fisherman by suspending the devices from tree limbs, posts and other objects located above the surface of a water body. Before the advent of such automatic fishing devices, and to some extent, even now, limb lines are commonly used to catch catfish and other species of game fish, which limb lines include a length of cord, one end of which is tied to an overhanging tree limb and the other end extending downwardly into the water, with a fishhook attached thereto for receiving bait. When the bait is taken by a fish, the resiliency of the limb acts as a fishing rod and serves to help engage the fishhook and maintain the fish on the fishhook. Automatic fishing devices are more efficient than the simple "limb lines", since the former devices serve to "set" the fishhook and also to "play" the fish against a spring-loaded or bias mechanism, in order to increase the incidence of engaging and maintaining the fish on the fishhook. However, many of these devices, including the "White's Auto Fisher", raise fish from the water, where they quickly die.
Fish such as white perch or crappie usually nibble at the bait and may even elevate the bait and the fishhook to remove the bait before the fisherman is aware that the fish is present. A sensitive trigger mechanism in an automatic fishing device decreases the likelihood of missing fish under these circumstances. Furthermore, the use of multiple automatic fishing devices serves to increase the catch, since the opportunity is presented for catching more fish over a selected period of time than is possible with a single fishhook. Moreover, automatic fishing devices can be used to catch fish during late evening or early morning hours when the fisherman is normally asleep and such fishing devices can be periodically rebaited at convenient time intervals to further increase the catch.
Typical of the fish setting devices known in the prior art is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,922, dated May 9, 1972, to D. C. Chill. The Chill device includes a cylindrical housing containing a pressure spring, which housing is open at one end and has a notched lip at its opening. A thin, flexible leader passes through the opening of the housing and is connected to the spring at one end and to a fishhook at the opposite end. A small bead is held on the leader at a point remote from the notched lip when the spring is relaxed. The device is cocked by drawing the leader downwardly to seat the bead behind the notched lip and thereby maintain the device in the cocked state against the urging of the spring. U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,512, filed May 17, 1971, to Vincent B. Hodshire, details a "Fish Catching Instrumentality". The device includes means for selectively adjusting the tension on a dual set trigger lever mechanism to provide for variable release of a relay trigger lever fish-engaging member. The dual set trigger lever mechanism includes a trigger lever provided with first and second arm portions. The trigger lever is pivotally mounted to a frame on which the relay trigger lever fish-engaging member is mounted. In one aspect of the invention, resilient means adjustably engage the first arm of the trigger lever, while the second arm releasably retains the relay trigger lever fish-engaging member in a cocked position by adjusting the engagement between the resilient means and the first arm of the lever. In this manner, the tension required to release the relay trigger lever fish-engaging member can be varied. In another form of the invention, the resilient means may adjustably engage the second arm. U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,504, filed June 8, 1972, to Samuel M. Bybee, details a "Hook Setter Apparatus". The hook setter apparatus is designed to be secured to a support structure, in order to elevate the device over a water surface and includes means to activate a connected fishhook assembly to automatically hook a fish. The invention further details a hook setter apparatus having a housing and a connector operable to support the apparatus on a tree limb or the like and support a fishhook assembly attached to the lower end of the housing. The device is operable upon movement of the fishhook assembly to actuate the actuator means and provide spring tension to hook and hold a fish. An "Automatic Hook Setter" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,053, dated Jan. 8, 1985, to Gilles Poulin. The automatic hook setting device is designed for setting a fishhook in a fish responsive to a pull exerted by the fish on the line. When the fish pulls on the fishing line to pivotally move the front end of the line support member downwardly a distance exceeding a predetermined displacement, a trip element is moved to a release position and in turn, releases an elastic band tension member, so as to engage a fixed stop and cause the front end of the line support to jerk upwardly, thereby setting the hook in the fish. U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,384, filed July 31, 1987, to J. M. Roberts, details a "Fishing Rod Holder Having Dual Actuation Alarm". The patent includes a holder or portion for receiving and holding a rod, a mount element including a first mount member supportably attached to the holder portion, a second mount member for engaging a fixed support, the first mount member further including a housing for pivotally receiving the second mount member and a tension-adjusting means for adjusting the pivoting of the first mount member on the second mount member. An alarm switch is included inside the housing and is actuated by the pivoting of the first mount member on the second mount member.
It is an object of this invention to provide a hook setting device which is characterized by a bifurcated housing, a lever pivotally disposed in the housing bifurcation or slot, with one end of the lever biased to one end of the housing, a trigger cord, line or leader having one end secured to the opposite end of the lever and the opposite end of the trigger cord fitted with a fishhook for receiving bait and immersing in a water body and a trigger bead or ball adapted for engaging the housing in cocked configuration and unseating from the housing in release configuration to hook a fish.
It is an object of this invention to provide a hook setting device which will automatically set the hook in a fish without raising the fish from the water, thereby prolonging the life of the fish until the fisherman arrives.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hook setting device for automatically setting the hook in a fish, which device includes a bifurcated frame adapted for suspension from a tree limb or other support object above a water body, a lever pivotally secured in the longitudinal slot provided in the frame, with one end of the lever biased to the bottom end of the frame by means of a resilient band or cord and the opposite end of the lever receiving one end of a trigger cord or leader, the opposite end of the trigger cord being adapted for receiving a fishhook and extending beneath the surface of a water body, a ball seat provided in the bottom end of the frame and a ball fitted on the trigger cord, wherein downward pivoting of the trigger end of the lever against the bias of the resilient band or cord facilitates seating of the ball in the ball seat for "cocking" the hook setting device and location of the hook and bait beneath the surface of the water, and striking of the bait by a fish unseats the ball from the ball seat and forces the fishhook into the fish.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an automatic hook setting device which is characterized by a bifurcated frame, a lever pivotally secured in the frame slot, with one end of the lever biased toward the bottom end of the frame by means of a resilient band and the opposite end of the lever receiving one end of a trigger cord containing a trigger mechanism and the opposite end of the trigger cord secured to a hook for receiving bait, wherein the bait and hook are located beneath the surface of the water when the trigger mechanism is set against the bias of the resilient band and the hook is driven into the fish responsive to striking of the bait by the fish and activating the trigger mechanism.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hook setting device which is characterized by an elongated, bifurcated frame, one end of which is adapted for suspension from a tree branch or alternative support above a water body and the opposite end provided with a ball seat and a transverse slot for receiving one end of an elastic band, a lever pivotally secured in the longitudinal bifurcation or slot of the frame, with one end of the lever receiving the opposite end of the elastic band and the opposite end of the lever receiving one end of a trigger cord, the opposite end of which trigger cord is fitted with a fishhook for receiving bait and immersing in the water body and further including a ball or bead attached to the trigger cord, wherein the ball is seated in the ball seat when the lever is pivoted against the bias of the elastic band to "cock" the hook setting device and facilitate dislocation of the ball from the ball seat responsive to the strike of a fish and abruptly forcing the trigger end of the lever upwardly to set the fishhook in the fish.